Literacy History

When it comes to my history of reading... I started young. I don't remember what age I started, I just remember reading books when others were getting the alphabet down. Not saying there was anything wrong with them, just that I got some sort of jumpstart. As a "young person", I loved reading and felt it was a great way for me to escape the troubles of my young adult life. The main genres I was into as a young adult was science fiction and fiction in general. In my adult life I read for the same reason, and generally the same genres of books, but rather than run from my problems into fiction, I try to deal with them more.

In terms of things that have influenced me, I’d say one of the largest influences for reading in my life was my mother getting in a car accident. When I was 15, my mother was broad-sided by a truck and was in a coma for a month and a half, then in physical therapy for another month and a half. During that time I was alone in my home and was forced to work the job I had, cook for myself, go to school, and take care of animals by myself, which I had never done. I had few friends in high school and my sister went to another school, so I felt very alone all the time, which drove me to begin to writing and reading more. I tried to read more to keep away from the stress and problems. I just happened to read more fiction and fantasy to help myself do this.

My history of reading and what it has helped me through could help me find a way to connect to others, especially children who are in need of help. Because of how my life has influenced my reading history, I feel like I’d be able to teach or go over fantasy books. The other genre of books I’d be able to teach would be anything I learned in high school. Because the accident happened when I was in high school, I kept the lessons I learned in high school close to my heart and mind. Going through what I did in high school, I knew I’d be able to relate to what Ponyboy went through in the story. While my mother didn’t die, I still knew what it felt like to rely on people who aren’t family to be your family.